Housing for receptacle filling

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for capturing a sample of flowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle without exposing the sample to the ambient environment. The apparatus includes a housing having an opening at one end for receiving a receptacle and stopper. An end cap is removably mounted to the housing for opening and closing the opening. An inlet is provided in the housing for feeding a cleaning or sterilizing agent or the flowable material to be sampled into an interior of the housing. A clasp is provided to manipulate the receptacle to separate the receptacle and the stopper while the stopper and receptacle are inside of the housing. Once the receptacle and the stopper are separated, the flowable material is fed into the receptacle through the inlet. The clasp is then manipulated to reattach the receptacle and the stopper in order to capture the flowable material. The apparatus is particularly useful in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries as well as the fine chemical, food and beverage industries where accurate, uncontaminated samples of materials from a closed system are desired without contaminating the sample of material or the closed system.

This application claims priority from Provisional application Ser. No.60/074,205, filed Feb. 10, 1998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for capturing a sample offlowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle withoutexposing the sample to the ambient environment. The present inventionwould find broad application in the pharmaceutical and biotechnologyindustries as well as the fine chemical, food and beverage industrieswhere obtaining accurate, uncontaminated samples of process flows fromclosed systems while maintaining the integrity of those systems and/orthe sample is important

2. Description of the Background Art

Development of new or more efficient commercialization of existentproducts requires faster and more effective methods to measure processvariables. This is particularly true in processes which require cellculture and fermentation processes conducted in bio-reactors where theaccuracy of measurements and research and development are critical forachieving economic production of high purity and highly refined endproducts.

Some factors which must be controlled include temperature and pressure.These factors are easily measured by utilization standard sensors.However, many other factors can be measured only by removing samples forexternal laboratory analysis. The frequency of sample extraction fortesting and measurement, the number of tests on each sample, and thetime constraints on the process vary widely as do the methods andequipment used to obtain the samples.

In most cases, measurement processes for variables do not lendthemselves to in-situ measurement by remote sensors directly in theprocess. Instead, samples must be physically extracted from theprocesses and examined and manipulated outside the vessel or conduit.Before this examination and manipulation process can be effectivelycarried out either in a manual or an automated fashion, a safe,effective means of sample extraction must be made available. Thissampling process must provide a product that is an accurate sub-sampleof the process composition.

Furthermore, since prior art designs do not lend themselves to use inexisting systems, substantial modification to the system is required.The apparatus needs to minimize or eliminate the dangers associated withthe sampling process in an efficient and cost effective manner, whileproviding quality, reproducible results in order to be of value forcommercial application.

One danger which must be avoided is danger to the operator orenvironment. When working with samples and especially hazardous samples,it is necessary to remove or feed/inoculate a sample without endangeringthe integrity of the process, subsequent samples, the operator, or theoutside environment. Many prior art devices are unsatisfactory in thisarea.

Some prior art systems are not automated. Therefore, there is potentialdanger posed by human procedural errors and operator and environmentalexposure. Accordingly, a need exists for an automatable apparatus with acapacity for independent verification of equipment operation built in.

In some cases, the materials being sampled are often expensive.Therefore, excessive removal of a sample should be avoided.

When taking samples, it is often important to maintain an asepticenvironment. It is important that contamination from previous samplingor from the environment not contaminate the current sample or theprocess being sampled. Loss of a sample run or contamination of theprocess can have extremely expensive ramifications. Therefore, it isimportant to obtain a sample without the sampling procedure causingcontamination.

Many prior art devices permit accumulation or pooling of samples orcleansing medium. When the device is first used it may not create aproblem; however, upon subsequent runs, the samples will be contaminatedor at least diluted.

The Disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,296,197, 5,525,301, and 5,786,209relate to automated sample extractors or feeder/inoculates forbio-reactors and similar equipment. The Disclosures of these patents arehereby incorporated by reference.

The above-mentioned patents relate to removing a sample from a vessel orconduit without contamination of the sample, process, or surroundingenvironment. The present invention is usable with devices of this typeor with similar devices. Namely, once the sample is removed from thevessel or conduit, it becomes necessary to feed the sample into areceptacle for later processes or testing.

In the past, sampling from a vessel or conduit was performed by hand byan operator. This manual sampling ran the risk of exposure to dangeroussubstances by the operator as well as contaminating the sample.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea simple, reliable, safe, and cost effective means for capturing asample of flowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle andstoppering the receptacle without exposing the sample or the material tothe surrounding outside environment.

It is another object of the present invention to capture a sample offlowable material from a closed system inside a receptacle withoutsubjecting an operator to dangerous substances.

It is a further object of the present invention to capture a sample offlowable material from a closed system in order to obtain sterilesamples which can be kept pure for a longer period of time.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide anapparatus which can be retrofitted to existing standard equipmentwithout substantial modification.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide anapparatus which will conduct sampling and maintain the sample in asealed arrangement such that there is no danger to the sample itself, tothe operator, to the process, or to the surrounding environment.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a devicewhich can protect an operator from the sampled material by isolating itin a container, whether or not maintaining the integrity of the processor sample itself is important.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide anautomatable system in order to eliminate possible operator error.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a receptaclefor collecting a sample within a sealed environment so that the areaapproximate the receptacle can be cleansed or sterilized and thereforebe kept free from contaminates. The receptacle can be a receptacle andstopper combination, and the stopper can be removed within the cleansedor sterilized environment, the receptacle can be filled with the sample,and the stopper can be reattached to the receptacle all within thecleansed or sterilized environment.

It is a further object of the present invention to allow the receptacleand/or stopper to be washed, rinsed, disinfected, and/or sterilized inplace using any of a variety of flowable materials at ambient, reduced,or elevated temperatures.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus whichcan be repeatedly cleaned and/or sterilized in place.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatuswhich can be easily removed and quickly disassembled for maintenance,including replacement of worn parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusmade of materials which are compatible with the sample materials and theprocess.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatuswhich will be reliable, easy to maintain, and low in cost.

These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled byproviding an apparatus for capturing a sample of flowable material froma closed system inside a receptacle and stopping the receptacle withoutexposing the sampled material to the surrounding outside environment.

The device for sampling flowable material includes a housing forreceiving a receptacle therein. This housing includes an end-capremovably mounted to the housing for allowing a receptacle to beinserted into the housing and removed therefrom. The housing alsoincludes an inlet formed therein for receiving flowable materialstherethrough. The inlet includes means for cleaning at least a portionof the housing proximate to the receptacle attached thereto. The meansfor cleaning is operable when the end-cap is mounted on the housing.Finally, a clasp is mounted within the housing for engaging thereceptacle.

The present invention also includes a method of sampling flowablematerial. This method includes inserting a receptacle into a housing,closing the housing to seal the receptacle from the ambient environmentsterilizing the inside of the housing, filling the receptacle withflowable material opening the housing, and removing the receptacle.

The inserting of the receptacle into the housing can include inserting areceptacle with or without a stopper connected thereto. If thereceptacle is inserted with a stopper connected thereto, an additionalstep of removing the stopper while the receptacle and stopper are withinthe housing would be necessary. If a receptacle is inserted with thestopper detached, it is unnecessary to include the step of removing thestopper. If the method of the present invention includes a stopperconnected to the receptacle stopper, the removing of the stopper whileinside the housing can include the steps of gripping the receptacle,rotating the receptacle to remove the stopper from the receptacle, andlongitudinally moving the receptacle with respect to the stopper inorder to space the receptacle from the stopper.

In either of the above two embodiments, the method of the presentinvention can also include the step of reattaching the stopper afterfilling of the receptacle with the flowable material.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of the presentinvention according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the apparatus of the presentinvention in partially exploded form including a receptacle, a stopper,and an end cap detached from the housing according to a secondembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an alternative sealingarrangement of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an insert of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in detail to the drawings and with particular reference toFIGS. 1-4, a housing 1 according to the present invention is designed toaccept a stoppable receptacle or sample tube 3, and a stopper or sampletube cap 5. It is noted that the same reference numerals are usedthroughout the several views to identify the same elements.

A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to FIG. 1. The housing 1 of the present invention includes ahead plate 7 and a drain plate 9. A sight tube 11 is secured between thehead plate 7 and the drain plate 9 by a plurality of longitudinallyextending bolts 13. The sight tube 11 is made of glass or clear plasticto enable viewing of the receptacle from an outside of the housing 1. Ahead gasket 8 is inserted between the sight tube 11 and the head plate 7and a base gasket 10 is inserted between the sight tube 11 and the drainplate 9. The bolts 13 are secured to the head plate 7 by welding or bythreading the bolt into the head plate 7. The bolts 13 extend from thehead plate 7 through apertures 15 formed in the drain plate 9. Free ends17 of the bolts 13 extend from a lower surface 19 of the drain plate 9.Nuts 21 are attached to the free ends 17 of the bolts 13 in order tosecure the drain plate 9 to the head plate 7, and the sight tube 11between the head plate 7 and the drain plate 9. It is noted that theabove-described arrangement for connecting the head plate and base platewith the sight tube is not the only arrangement that can be used. It isonly necessary that the arrangement securely connect the head plate andthe base plate with the sight tube to provide a sealed environmentinside.

The head plate 7 includes an inlet 23 for receiving the flowablematerial. The inlet receives a threaded o-ring connector 24 including aconnecting portion 25 and an o-ring 26. This threaded o-ring connector24 is connectable to a sample valve (not shown) which in turn would beconnected to a vessel or conduit from which a sample is to be obtained.The flowable material to be sampled can be fed from the sample valve tothe inlet 23 in order to fill the receptacle with the flowable material.Furthermore, a cleaning or sterilizing agent can also be fed from thesample valve in order to wash, rinse, disinfect, and/or sterilize aninterior of the housing 1 and its contents.

The head plate 7 also includes a through-hole 27 a formed therethrough.An opening 27 of the through-hole 27 a is formed at an upper partthereof for providing access to an interior of the housing 1. A shoulder29 is formed at the opening 27 in order to receive the stopper 5 of thereceptacle 3. An aperture or hole 31 is formed at a lower portion of thethrough-hole and extends from the shoulder 29 through the head plate 7.This aperture or hole 31 is preferably sized having an inside diameterlarger than the diameter of the receptacle 3, but smaller than thediameter of the stopper 5.

It is noted that capturing stopper 5 between shoulder 29 and end cap 33is one way of immobilizing stopper 5 so that when the receptacle isrotated, the two can be disengaged from and re-engaged to each other.Alternative embodiments to immobilize stopper 5 relative to receptacle3, including pins extending part way into through-hole 27 a, a tight fitbetween the outside diameter (OD) of stopper 5 and the inside diameter(ID) of the through-hole 27 a in head plate 7, or a tight fit of the ODof the stopper 5 with the ID of a recess with the end cap 33 would serveequally as well. It is only important that the stopper 5 be immobilizedrelative to the receptacle 3. This will be further described below.

The head plate 7 also includes a passageway 30 formed therethrough. Thepassageway 30 longitudinally extends from the shoulder 29 through thehead plate 7 to a lower surface 28 of the head plate 7. A portion of thepassageway 30 adjacent the shoulder 29 includes a recessed portion 32which enables communication between a top of the stopper 5 and a bottomof the stopper 5. The passageway 30 allows communication from theshoulder 29 to the lower surface 28 of the head plate 7, the lowerportions of housing 1 and outlet 35. The combination of the recessedportion 32 and passageway 30 allows the flow of air, cleaning andsterilizing agents all around stopper 5 as well as between inlet 23 andall spaces within the housing 1 below the lower surface 28 to outlet 35.This is important particularly in cases where the OD of the receptacle 3is substantially the same as the ID of the aperture 31, creating anunpasssable seal which, without recessed portion 32 and passageway 30,would result in a vapor lock and inhibit drainage into and out ofhousing 1 and material flowing into the receptacle 3.

An end cap or house cap 33 is removably mounted to the head plate 7adjacent to the opening 27. An oaring 34 is inserted between the end cap33 and the housing 1 in order to provide a sealed connection. FIG. 1illustrates a threaded connector, 36 on the end cap 33 and a cooperatingthreaded portion 38 on the inside of the opening 27 of the head plate 7;however, any fastener which allows easy attachment and detachment of theend cap from the housing and which allows the housing to be sealed fromthe ambient environment will suffice. Alternative end cap constructionsill be described below.

The above-described arrangement provides a sealed environment within thehousing 1 which is protected from the ambient environment when the endcap 33 is properly secured and the inlet 23 and outlet 35 are connectedto a process by some means.

With regard to the drain plate 9, an outlet 35 is provided for receivinga drain connector 37. The outlet 35 allows a cleaning agent orsterilizing agent or excess flowable material to be removed from theinterior of the housing. A threaded o-ring connector 40 including ano-ring 42 and a drain connecting portion 44 is connected to the outlet35. The drain connecting portion 44 is connectable to a drain assembly46 such as the threaded drain block 48 and the threaded o-ring connector50 in FIG. 1 in order to connect the outlet 35 to a drain (not shown).The drain plate 9 also includes an aperture 39 formed therethrough forreceiving a rod 41. A plurality of O-rings 45 are inserted within theaperture 39 between the aperture 39 and the rod 41 in order to seal aninterior of the housing from the ambient environment. The rod 41includes a knob 43 for manipulating the rod 41. The rod 41 is mounted inthe drain plate for longitudinal and rotary motion.

The knob 43 is connected to a first end of the rod 41 outside of thehousing 1. A pedestal 47 is attached to a second end of the rod 41within the interior of the housing 1. The pedestal 47 includes a firstopen end 51 remote from the rod 41 and a second closed end 52 proximatethe rod 41. The pedestal 47 is a generally cylindrical member which hasa tapered portion 53 adjacent to the rod 41. The tapered portion 53 isonly needed if the upper face of the drain plate is tapered, allowingthe two to be mated together, maximizing the longitudinal range ofmotion of the rod-pedestal combination within the housing 1.

A plurality of longitudinal openings 55 are provided for allowingviewing access of the stopper or receptacle 3 from the outside of thehousing. The open end 51 of the pedestal 47 includes an o-ring 49 forgripping a body of the receptacle when the pedestal is moved intocontact with the receptacle 3.

Referring to FIG. 5, in order to accommodate receptacles of varioussizes, it is possible to provide an insert 6 within the opening 27 andthe through-hole 27 a in order to vary the diameter of the aperture 31.Varying the diameter of the aperture 31 allows receptacles of differentdiameters or capacities to be used in the same housing. Referring toFIG. 5, insert 6 has an outside profile that mates with the ID profileof the opening 27 and the through-hole 27 a. This insert 6 includes aninlet 23 a that aligns with the inlet 23 and allows flowable materialscoming in through inlet 23 to be fed into the through-hole 27 b of theinsert 6. As with head plate 7, insert 6 is sized with a diameter largerthan the OD of a smaller receptacle 3, but insert 6 need does not have ashoulder. The stopper 5 is merely tightly fit in the through-hole 27 b.A shoulder is not necessary as long as the insert 6 is capable ofholding the stopper 5 immobile relative to the receptacle 3. However,the insert 6 may have shoulder if desired. Insert 6 also has an o-ring150 fitted with an o-ring groove 151 in its OD wall about the inlet 23 awhere it mates with inlet 23, forming a seal around the junction betweenthe two. Insert 6 has a further o-ring groove/o-ring combination orgasket 152 at its lower OD margin that seals the crevice between insert6 and the aperture 31 from the inside of the housing 1. Insert 6 has aradial groove/hole combination 32 a that aligns with recess portion 32described below for venting. The top surface 153 of the insert 6 sealswith an end cap 33 in the same manner as the head plate 7. Furthermore,if the head plate 7 does not have a shoulder 29 to keep insert 6 fromslipping through the through-hole 27, insert 6 may be modified toinclude an annular lip, for example, in order to prevent it fromslipping through.

An operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will nowbe described. The threaded o-ring connector 24 which is attached to theinlet 23 can be attached to the sample valve either before or after thereceptacle is inserted in to the housing 1. The end cap 33 is firstremoved from the housing 1 to gain access to the interior of the housing1. The receptacle 3 is inserted into the interior of the housing withthe stopper attached thereto or with the stopper separate therefrom. Thestopper 5 is positioned to rest on the shoulder 29 of the head plate 7,while the receptacle 3 extends through the aperture 31 formed in thehead plate 7. Once the receptacle 3 and the stopper 5 are properlylocated, the end cap 33 is secured to the housing 1 in order to seal thereceptacle and stopper within the housing 1 and from the ambientenvironment. With the securing of end cap 33, stopper 5 becomesimmobilized between the shoulder 29 and the end cap 33.

At this point, a cleaning or sterilizing agent is fed through the inlet23 of the head plate 7 from the sample valve. The cleaning orsterilizing agent flows into the interior of the housing and out theoutlet 35 formed in the drain plate 9. This cleaning or sterilizingagent cleans or sterilizes an interior of the housing 1 and an exteriorof the receptacle 3 and stopper 5 if the stopper is secured in place onthe receptacle. Otherwise, the agent cleans both the inside and theoutside of the stopper 5 and the receptacle as well as all of theremaining portions of the inside of the housing 1 and flow lines leadingto and from the housing. This provides a clean environment for ensuringthat the flowable sample is not contaminated during filling of thereceptacle. Once the cleaning and sterilizing operation is performed,the knob 43 is manipulated to move the rod 41 and the pedestal 47longitudinally upward into engagement with the receptacle 3. Once theo-ring 49 is in proper engagement with the receptacle 3, the knob 43 isrotated to rotate the rod 41 and pedestal 47 in order to remove thereceptacle 3 from the stopper 5. It is necessary to rotate thereceptacle 3 one to one-and-one-half turns in order to remove thereceptacle from the stopper 5 if a typical screw-type receptacle-stoppercombination is used. It should be noted that, with an o-ring 45,pedestal 47 may be continuously rotated as many times as necessary tounscrew the stopper 5 from the receptacle 3. However, if the sealbetween the drain plate 9 and the pedestal-rod combination is made usinga diaphragm, as will be described in a later embodiment, the range ofrotation of the pedestal-rod combination will be limited. The stopperand the receptacle may still be unscrewed from each other; however,simply by first rotating the pedestal-rod combination as far as possiblein the thread-tightening direction, engaging the receptacle, androtating the pedestal-rod-receptacle combination as far as possible inthe opposite thread-loosening direction before disengaging thereceptacle. If the stopper is not unsrewed from the receptacle at thistime, the pedestal-rod combination can be rotated as far as possible inthe thread-tightening direction, and the receptacle can be engaged againand rotated firer in the thread-loosening direction. This can berepeated until the stopper 5 can be separated from the receptacle. Toseal the receptacle after the sample is collected, the above procedurecan be reversed. It is also possible to use a plunger-typereceptacle-stopper combination. In this case, it is only necessary touse longitudinal motion of the pedestal to remove the stopper from thereceptacle, since the stopper and receptacle are unthreaded; however,rotation of the pedestal can help to remove the stopper from thereceptacle.

Once the receptacle 3 has been removed from the stopper 5, the knob 43is manipulated to longitudinally move the rod 41 and pedestal 47downward in order to space the receptacle 3 from the stopper 5. Thereceptacle 3 is moved downward to a location where an open portion ofthe receptacle is at or below a lower surface of the inlet 23. Theflowable material is then fed from the sample valve into the inlet 23and into the receptacle 3 to fill the receptacle 3 with a predeterminedquantity of flowable material. When the flowable material is filled inthe receptacle 3, the feed of flowable material is stopped and the knob43 is manipulated to attach the receptacle to the stopper 5 in a reversemanner from removing the receptacle.

At this point, the cleaning or sterilizing agent can be re-fed throughthe housing 1 in order to clean the outside of the receptacle 3 or theend cap 33 can simply be removed without further cleaning or sterilizingin order to remove the stoppered receptacle from the interior of thehousing. In situations where the flowable material to be sampled isdangerous to the operator, cleaning or sterilizing after filling wouldbe advantageous to protect the operator.

During the above-mentioned operation of the fist embodiment of thepresent invention, the receptacle and stopper are preferably insertedinto the housing 1 in a connected condition. In this way, apre-sterilized stopper and receptacle combination can be utilized. It isonly necessary to clean or sterilize the outside surface of thereceptacle and stopper, since the inside is already sterilized.Aternatively, a receptacle having a stopper detached therefrom can beinserted into the housing. In this situation, the knob 43 merely needsto be manipulated in order to grip the receptacle and longitudinallymove the receptacle away from the stopper. This procedure is useful forstopper and receptacle combinations which are not sterilized previous toentering the housing 1. A gaseous sterilizing agent is especially usefulfor this purpose; however, if a liquid sterilizing agent is used, thehousing merely needs to be turned upside down in order to remove thecleaning or sterilizing agent from the receptacle before filling.

A first embodiment of the present invention has been described withreference to FIG. 1. A second embodiment will now be described withreference to FIG. 2. FIG. 1 illustrates a pedestal 47 and O-ring 49 forgripping and manipulating the receptacle 3. Referring to FIG. 1, analternative arrangement for manipulating the receptacle 3 isillustrated. A knob 43 is attached to a rod 41 in the same manner asthat illustrated in FIG. 1. However, at a second end of the rod, a base57 is attached instead of the pedestal 47. The base 57 includes aplurality of longitudinally extending, vertical support rods 59 attachedthereto and extending upwardly toward the receptacle 3. The support rods59 can be attached in any manner including welding and a removablefastener. FIG. 2 illustrates the support rods 59 attached with a pin 60driven through the base 57 and an end of the support rods 59. There arepreferably three support rods; however, the number of support rods isnot important as long as there is a sufficient number to grip thereceptacle 3. The support rods 59 may have a modified surface, coatingor cover that grips the receptacle, the contact area between these rodsand the receptacle being at least significantly longitudinal in nature.This longitudinal contact area will assure that the pedestal-rodcombination will grip and rotate the receptacle relative to the stopperwith a minimal amount of slippage. The effect of increasing thelongitudinal contact area relative to the circumferential contact areawill have the effect of making it easier to slip the pedestal-rodcombination onto and off of the receptacle while reducing the slippingthat occurs when rotating to thread the receptacle off and on thestopper threads, permitting tighter seals to be made. In this figure,each of the support rods 59 includes plastic tubes 61 secured thereon.Furthermore, an o-ring 63 is secured around the free ends 65 of thesupport rods 59. The O-ring 63 is secured within a groove 67 adjacentthe free ends 65 of the support rods 59. The O-ring 63 and plastic tube61, provide gripping means for gripping the outside surface of thereceptacle 3. The o-ring firer provides added tension at the free ends65 of the rods, reducing the deflection over time by providing a degreeof positional memory to the free ends 65, a result of elastic “memory”of the O-ring.

This arrangement is operated in the same manner as the pedestalarrangement above. The knob 43 is manipulated to move the rod 41 andbase 57 along with the support rods, plastic tubes, and O-ring to engagethe outer surface of the receptacle 3. The knob 43 is then rotated inorder to remove the receptacle 3 from the stopper 5 and longitudinallymoved downward to separate the receptacle 3 from the stopper 5.

The, end cap 33 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a threaded connector 36for engaging with the threaded portion 38 formed in the head plate 7.However, referring to FIG. 2, the head plate 7 according to the secondembodiment of the present invention may, in addition to the threadedportion 38, include a flange portion 69 at a top surface thereof. Thehead plates 7 in the first and second embodiments are substantially thesame except for the addition of the flange portion 69 in the secondembodiment. This flange portion 69 enables the alternative use of an endcap 71. The end cap 71 is engageable with the flange portion of the headplate 7 with a gasket 73 inserted therebetween. The end cap 71 can beattached to the flange portion 69 with a conventional clampingarrangement (not shown). A clamping arrangement of this type is wellknown and will not be further described here. The gasket 73 ensures thatthe end cap 71 seals the receptacle 3 within the inside of the housing 1and from the ambient environment.

It is reiterated that the head plate 7 according to the secondembodiment can include both the threaded portion 38 and the flangeportion 69 in order to allow either a flange-type end cap 71 or athreaded-type end cap 33 to be used with the head plate 7. However, thethreaded portion 38 is not required in the second embodiment.

A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative housing 1according to the present invention. A head plate 75 includes a flangeportion 77 formed on a first end thereof and a threaded portion 81formed within an open end 82 of the head plate 75. A shoulder 83,passageway 84, recessed portion 86, and aperture 85 are substantiallythe same as those in the first embodiment. An inlet 79 includes an elbow87 preferably welded thereto instead of the threaded long connector 24in the first and second embodiments. This elbow 87 is connectable to asample valve as in the first and second embodiments and operates insubstantially the same manner.

The head plate 75 also includes a generally cylindrical tube 89 formedon a second end thereof. The generally cylindrical tube 89 extends awayfrom the head plate 75 and attaches to a base plate 93. A sight tube 91is secured within the generally cylindrical tube 89 between the headplate 75 and the base plate 93. A head gasket 92 and a base gasket 94are inserted at the ends of the sight tube 91 adjacent the head plate 75and the base plate 93, respectively. The generally cylindrical tube 89includes a plurality of longitudinal openings 95 for allowing theinterior sight tube 91 and receptacle 3 to be viewed therethrough. Newtechniques now permit glass sight tubes to be welded directly to othermaterials, including stainless steel. Consequently, the bolts, clampsand gaskets used to connect the head plate, drain plate and sight tubetogether and the gaskets used to form seals to seal the system from thesurrounding environment may be eliminated as is illustrated in FIG. 5.Slipping a mesh screen over the housing 1, particularly the glassportion, may still be desirable. This will provide the housing with adegree of protection from outside impacts and will provide protection tooperators in the area should the sight tube fail.

In some cases it may be advantageous to automate the system. Automationwould include a device to automatically control sample volume fed to thehousing 1. Automated measurement would eliminate the need for operatorsto visually monitor the instantaneous volume of a sample in thereceptacle. Consequently, the sight tube may be eliminated and thehousing may be made without apertures in the housing walls. In fact, thehead plate, drain plate and tube connecting the two could be fabricatedfrom a single piece of material.

A mesh screen 97 (illustrated partially broken away) is secured over thelongitudinal openings 95 in order to protect the sight tube 91 fromexternal impact. The mesh screen 97 can be attached to the edges of thelongitudinal openings in the generally cylindrical tube 89 or can besecured between the generally cylindrical tube 89 and the sight tube 91.The mesh screen 97 can be extended around a portion of the circumferenceof the generally cylindrical tube 89 or can extend completely around thecircumference of the generally cylindrical tube 89.

The base plate 93 is in the form of a flange which is engageable with adrain member 99 having a flange 101 formed on an upper portion thereof.The flange 101 of the drain member 99 and the base plate 93 areconnectable together by a clamp (not shown). The drain member 99includes an outlet 103 having an elbow 105 welded thereto. The drainmember 99 also includes an aperture 107 extending therethrough. Theaperture 107 is connected to the outlet 103 and also extends to a lowersurface 106 of the drain member 99. The lower end 108 of the aperture107 also includes the typical o-rings 45 secured therein and a rod 41supported thereby as in the previous embodiments.

The third embodiment of the present invention is usable with thepedestal 47 of the first embodiment or the base 57 and the verticalsupport rods 59 of the second embodiment. The head plate 75 of the thirdembodiment is usable with either of the end caps 33 or 71 of the firstand second embodiments.

The third embodiment is advantageous since the assembly and disassemblyof the housing is improved. It is only necessary to remove a singleclamp which secures the flange 101 to the base plate 93 rather thanremoving several of the bolts 13 as in the first embodiment.

An alternative arrangement to seal between the rod 41 and the drainmember 99 of the third embodiment will now be described with referenceto FIG. 4. Instead of the o-rings 45 secured within the drain member 99,a diaphragm 109 can be included in its place. The diaphragm 109 includesa base 155 with a sealing face 161 and an annular lip 162, a conicalsection 154, a narrow elongated tubular section 157, a blunt tip 158with a through-bore 159 and an upper sealing face 160. Diaphragm base155 can be fitted into a flanged base plate 93 a having an opposingmating contour as shown in FIG. 4. Flanged base plate 93 a has an outlet103 a having an elbow 105 a welded thereto for drainage of the housing1. An opposing flanged base plate 163 mates with flanged base plate 93a, capturing the annular-cylindrical section of the diaphragm base asshown in FIG. 4. Flanged base plate 163 has a conical counter bore 164and a central longitudinal through-bore 107 a to receive the flexingcone portion 154 and the rod 41 a and rod sleeve 41 b. Rod 41 a isinserted through the through bore 159 in the blunt tip 158 of diaphragm109 until it extends out the conical section 154 and out through flangedbase plate 163. Sleeve 41 b is slipped over the threaded tip 166 of rod41 a and pushed all the way up until its upper face engages the backwall to upper sealing face 160. Threaded tip 166 and sleeve 41 b areslipped into the central through-bore 167 of knob 43 a. Sleeve 41 b willengage a shoulder 168 while threaded tip 166 will continue all the waythrough and protrude to the bottom of knob 43 a where a nut 169 will bethreaded on to it. As nut 169 is tightened, it will cause blunt tip 158to be compressed by the upper end of sleeve 41 b and cause a seal to bemade between the bottom of the pedestal and upper sealing face 160. Thusstatic seals are created at ends of the diaphragm 109, isolating theinside of housing 1 from the surrounding environment even when thepedestal is moved up and down to engage and disengage receptacle 3 andwhen the pedestal is rotated to unthread and rethread stopper 3 withreceptacle 3.

FIG. 4 illustrates an upper conical section 170 with an attachedcylindrical section 171 that may be incorporated as part of flanged baseplate 93 a, surrounding the conical portion 154 and the lower section oftubular portion 157 of diaphragm 109. An opposing cylindrical section172 would extend down from the base of pedestal 47, enclosing the upperportion of tubular portion 157. These two cylindrical sections, whilebeing of greater diameter than tubular portion 157, are of unequaldiameters, allowing the overlapping portion of one to nest within theother. Parts 170, 171 and 172 in concert with conical counter bore 164,form a protective shroud around diaphragm 109. While this shroud may notbe necessary if housing 1 is always properly vented so that it neverbecomes negative relative to the surrounding atmosphere or if thediaphragm is constructed of material strong enough to withstand thepressure differentials, in cases where it is not vented or the materialis week, the shroud will prevent the diaphragm from ballooning,supporting it and keeping it from busting. In order to better circulatecleansing and sterilizing materials and to promote drainage, parts 170,171, and 172 may be perforated as, for example, is illustrated in FIG.4.

The diaphragm 109 can also be used with the drain plate 9 of the firstand second embodiments as well. The diaphragm 109 merely secures withinthe aperture 39 in the drain plate 9 and extends along the rod 41 to besecured at the junction between the rod 41 and the pedestal 47 or thejunction between the rod 41 and the base 57.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it is also possible to provide o-rings 110within the aperture 31 and a drain opening 111 in the head plate 7. Thiswill allow the cleaning or sterilizing agent to flow only in the topportion of the housing 1. The cleaning or sterilizing agent can flowthrough the inlet 23 and into the top portion of the interior of thehousing 1 and exit through the drain 111. The o-rings prevent thecleaning or sterilizing agent from entering the bottom portion of theinterior of the housing 1. Therefore, the outlet 103 is unnecessary, butmay still be provided in case any excess material flows past the o-rings110. It is noted that this arrangement is also usable with the secondand third embodiments as well.

In any of the above-described embodiments, the housing is preferablyconstructed of stainless steel; however, it may also be constructed ofother materials including polymers depending upon the application.

While the present invention has been described as being manuallyoperated, automation may be achieved to a greater or lesser extent bymodifying the system to include automated operators.

The present invention may also be modified to include a mechanism forlongitudinally moving and anally rotating the stopper rather than thereceptacle. Alternatively, the motions may be split so that both thestopper and the receptacle. move. The way in which the receptacle ismoved with respect to the stopper is not important as long as thereceptacle and stopper (unless a receptacle without a stopper is desiredin the end) are separated from each other, the flowable material isintroduced between the stopper and the receptacle, and the stopper isplaced back on the receptacle for capturing the flowable materialsample.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A device for sampling a flowable material, said devicecomprising: a housing for receiving a receptacle therein, said housingsealing the receptacle from the ambient environment outside the housing;an end cap removably mounted to one end of the housing, the receptaclebeing insertable into the housing when the end cap is removed from thehousing; an inlet formed in the housing for receiving the flowablematerial therethrough; means for supplying a cleaning or sterilizingagent for cleaning or sterilizing at least a portion of the housingproximate to the receptacle, said means for supplying being operablewhen the end cap is mounted on the housing; a clasp mounted within thehousing for engaging the receptacle; and a mechanism mounted within thehousing for engaging a stopper of the receptacle, said mechanismcooperating with said clasp to remove, attach or remove and attach thestopper of the receptacle when the end cap is mounted to the housing. 2.The device according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a firstplate at one end thereof for removably receiving the end cap, said firstplate includes a shoulder formed therein and a hole formed therethrough,said shoulder is for receiving a stopper of the receptacle and said holeis for receiving a body of the receptacle, wherein the stopper issecurable between said shoulder and said end cap, and said clasp isengageable with said body of said receptacle for removing the stopperfrom the body of the receptacle.
 3. The device according to claim 2,wherein said first plate includes a flange formed thereon, said end capincludes a flange formed thereon, and wherein said flange of said firstplate and said flange of said end cap are securable together by a clamp.4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said hole of first plateincludes threads formed therein, said end cap includes threads thereonfor cooperating with the threads of said first plate.
 5. The deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein said housing includes a second plateformed at a second end thereof, said second plate includes an apertureformed therethrough for receiving a rod, said rod is operativelyattached to said clasp, wherein the rod and clasp are longitudinallymovable to engage the clasp with the body of the receptacle, and theclasp and rod are rotatable to remove the stopper of the receptacle fromthe body of the receptacle.
 6. The device according to claim 5, furthercomprising at least one o-ring for sealing between said rod and saidaperture in said second plate.
 7. The device according to claim 5,further comprising a diaphragm attached between said rod and said secondplate for sealing between said rod and said aperture.
 8. The deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein said first plate includes said inletformed therein, and said second plate includes a drain formed therein,wherein said means for cleaning is flowable into the inlet and out ofthe outlet for cleaning the housing proximate the receptacle.
 9. Thedevice according to claim 5, said housing further comprising: acylindrical sight tube extending between said first and second plates;and a plurality of rods extending between said first and second platesfor attaching said first plate to said second plate, said plurality ofrods are located on a outside surface of said cylindrical sight tube.10. The device according to claim 1, said clasp further comprising: agenerally cylindrical member having a first open end and a second closedend; said first open end includes an gripping means therein for grippingthe body of said receptacle; and said second closed end is operativelyattached to a rod mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement whereinsaid gripping means grips the body of the receptacle when the clasp ismoved longitudinally into engagement with the receptacle and rotates thereceptacle when the rod is rotated.
 11. The device according to claim 1,said clasp further comprising: a base having a rod attached to a firstend thereof, said rod is mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement; aplurality of supports attached to said base at a second end thereof,said plurality of supports each including a first end attached to saidbase and a second free end; and gripping means attached to said secondfree ends of said plurality of supports, wherein the gripping meansgrips the body of the receptacle when the clasp is moved longitudinallyinto engagement with the receptacle and rotates the receptacle when therod is rotated.
 12. The device according to claim 2, wherein saidhousing further comprises: a second plate connected to said first plateby a tube; a sight tube located between said first plate and said secondplate, said sight tube located inside of said tube; and at least onelongitudinal opening extending through said tube, said sight tube, aninterior of said housing and said receptacle being viewable through saidlongitudinal opening.
 13. The device according to claim 12, furthercomprising a mesh screen attached to the tube, said mesh screen forcovering said longitudinal opening in said tube.
 14. The deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein said tube includes a flange formedthereon, said second plate including a flange formed thereon, saidflange of said tube is securable to said flange of said second plate bya clamp.
 15. The device according to claim 2, further comprising: saidinlet is formed in said first plate; an outlet formed in said firstplate; and means for sealing between an outside surface of the body ofthe receptacle and a surface of the hole of the first plate, wherein themeans for cleaning is flowable through said inlet; into an interior ofsaid housing and through said outlet to clean the portion of the housingproximate to the receptacle.
 16. The device according to claim 1,further comprising means for engaging a stopper of the receptacle whenthe receptacle is inside the housing and sealed from the ambientenvironment, said means for engaging cooperating with said clasp forremoving and attaching the stopper of the receptacle.
 17. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said housing prevents the exchange offlowable material and cleaning or sterilizing agent within the housingwith the ambient environment outside the housing.
 18. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said end cap is completely removable fromsaid housing.
 19. A device for sampling a flowable material, said devicecomprising: a housing for receiving a receptacle therein, said housingsealing the receptacle from the ambient environment outside the housing;an end cap removably mounted to the housing, the receptacle beinginsertable into the housing when the end cap is removed from thehousing; an inlet formed in the housing for receiving the flowablematerial therethrough; a clasp mounted within the housing for engagingthe receptacle; and means for engaging a stopper of the receptacle whenthe receptacle is inside the housing and sealed from the ambientenvironment, said means for engaging cooperating with said clasp forremoving and attaching the stopper of the receptacle.
 20. The deviceaccording to claim 19, wherein said housing includes a first plate atone end thereof for removably receiving the cap, said first plateincludes a shoulder formed therein and a hole formed therethrough, saidshoulder is for receiving the stopper of the receptacle and said hole isfor receiving a body of the receptacle, wherein the stopper is securablebetween said shoulder and said cap, and said clasp is engageable withsaid body of said receptacle for removing the stopper from the body ofthe receptacle.
 21. The device according to claim 20, wherein saidhousing includes a second plate formed at a second end thereof, saidsecond plate includes an aperture formed therethrough for receiving arod, said rod is operatively attached to said clasp, wherein the rod andclasp are longitudinally movable to engage the clasp with the body ofthe receptacle, and the clasp and rod are rotatable to remove thestopper of the receptacle from the body of the receptacle.
 22. Thedevice according to claim 19, said clasp further comprising: a basehaving a rod attached to a first end thereof, said rod is mounted forlongitudinal and rotary movement; a plurality of supports attached tosaid base at a second end thereof, said plurality of supports eachincluding a first end attached to said base and a second free end; andgripping means attached to said second free ends of said plurality ofsupports, wherein the gripping means grips the body of the receptaclewhen the clasp is moved longitudinally into engagement with thereceptacle and rotates the receptacle when the rod is rotated.
 23. Thedevice according to claim 19, wherein said housing prevents the exchangeof flowable material and cleaning or sterilizing agent within thehousing with the ambient environment outside the housing.
 24. A methodof sampling flowable material, said method comprising: inserting areceptacle and a stopper into a housing; closing said housing to sealthe receptacle from the ambient environment outside the housing;supplying a cleaning or sterilizing agent to at least a portion of thehousing proximate to the receptacle; cleaning or sterilizing at least aportion of an inside of the housing proximate the receptacle with thecleaning or sterilizing agent; filling an inside of the receptacle withthe flowable material; attaching the stopper to the receptacle; openingthe housing; and removing the receptacle, wherein the step of attachingthe stopper to the receptacle is after the filling step and before theopening the housing step.
 25. The method according to claim 24, furthercomprising the step of removing the stopper from the receptacle afterthe cleaning step while maintaining the receptacle inside the housing.26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of removing thestopper further comprises the steps of: gripping the receptacle when thereceptacle is inside the housing; rotating the receptacle to remove thestopper film the receptacle; and longitudinally moving the receptaclewith respect to the stopper to space the receptacle from the stopper.27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the step of filling thereceptacle further comprises the step of feeding the flowable materialthrough the space between the receptacle and the cap.
 28. A method ofsampling flowable material, said method comprising; inserting areceptacle and a stopper into a housing; closing said housing to sealthe receptacle from the ambient environment outside the housing;supplying a cleaning or sterilizing agent to at least a portion of thehousing proximate to the receptacle; cleaning or sterilizing at least aportion of an inside of the housing proximate the receptacle with thecleaning or sterilizing agent; engaging the stopper to remove thestopper from the receptacle; filling an inside of the receptacle withthe flowable material; engaging the stopper to attach the stopper to thereceptacle; opening the housing; and removing the receptacle, whereinsaid steps of engaging the stopper occur when the receptacle is insidethe housing and sealed from the ambient environment.
 29. A method ofsampling flowable material, said method comprising: inserting areceptacle and a stopper into a housing; closing said housing to sealthe receptacle from the ambient environment outside the housing;supplying a cleaning or sterilizing agent to at least a portion of thehousing proximate to the receptacle; cleaning or sterilizing at least aportion of an inside of the housing proximate the receptacle with thecleaning or sterilizing agent; filling an inside of the receptacle withthe flowable material; attaching the stopper to the receptacle; openingthe housing; removing the receptacle; and preventing the exchange offlowable material and cleaning or sterilizing agent within the housingwith the ambient environment outside the housing, wherein the step ofattaching the stopper to the receptacle is after the filling step andbefore the opening the housing step.